Ficus plant named ‘ESFIBU1802’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of  Ficus  plant named ‘ESFIBU1802’ which is characterized by the combination of relatively large foliage on a compact plant, ribbed to bullate foliage with conspicuous venation, foliage which is held nearly vertical to slightly pendulous, and the stability of all characteristics from generation to generation.

Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name of the genus andspecies of the novel variety disclosed herein is Ficus bussei.

Variety denomination: The inventive variety of Ficus disclosed hereinhas been given the variety denomination ‘ESFIBU1802’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parentage: ‘ESFIBU1802’ originated as a naturally occurring, whole-plantmutation of an unnamed Ficus bussei plant (not patented). In the summerof 2015, the inventor discovered the mutation at his commercialgreenhouse in Gravenzande, The Netherlands, growing amongst a cultivatedpopulation of Ficus bussei plants. The mutation was noted for itsrelatively large, ribbed foliage on a compact plant and was subsequentlyisolated for further evaluation in order to confirm the distinctness andstability of the characteristics first observed. Upon confirmation ofdistinctness and stability, ‘ESFIBU1802’ was selected forcommercialization.

Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction of ‘ESFIBU1802’, by way ofstem cuttings, was first initiated in the summer of 2015 at a commercialgreenhouse in Gravenzande, The Netherlands. Through five subsequentgenerations, the unique features of this cultivar have proven to bestable and true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘ESFIBU1802’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and the phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The followingtraits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the uniquecharacteristics of ‘ESFIBU1802’. These characteristics in combinationdistinguish ‘ESFIBU1802’ as a new and distinct Ficus cultivar:

-   -   1. Ficus ‘ESFIBU1802’ exhibits relatively large foliage on a        compact plant; and    -   2. Ficus ‘ESFIBU1802’ exhibits ribbed to bullate foliage with        conspicuous venation; and    -   3. Ficus ‘ESFIBU1802’ exhibits green foliage with light green        venation; and    -   4. Ficus ‘ESFIBU1802’ exhibits foliage which is held nearly        vertical to slightly pendulous.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to makethe same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary plant of‘ESFIBU1802’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Gravenzande, TheNetherlands. This plant is approximately 20 weeks old, shown planted ina 15 cm container.

FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to makethe same in color photographs of this type, the adaxial surface of themature foliage of ‘ESFIBU1802’.

FIG. 3 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to makethe same in color photographs of this type, the abaxial surface of themature foliage of ‘ESFIBU1802’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations and measurements were made in February of2019 and describe a sample set of six 20 week-old ‘ESFIBU1802’ plantsgrown in 15 cm nursery pots at a greenhouse in Gravenzande, TheNetherlands. Plants were produced in a greenhouse with full sunexposure, ebb and flood irrigation tables, no supplemental fertilizer,and no preventative or pest control measures utilized.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristicswill vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘ESFIBU1802’has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Wheredimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is tobe understood that such characteristics are approximations or averagesset forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety maydiffer from the descriptions set forth herein with variations inenvironmental, climactic and cultural conditions. Color notations arebased on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, 2015 (sixth edition).

A botanical description of ‘ESFIBU1802’ and comparisons with the parentplant and most similar commercial variety of Ficus are provided below.

-   Plant description:    -   -   Growth habit.—Upright.        -   Plant form.—Broad oblong to obovate.        -   Average height.—70.7 cm from the soil level to the top of            the foliar plane.        -   Plant spread.—Average of 70.5 cm.        -   Growth rate.—Moderately fast to fast.        -   Plant vigor.—Moderately vigorous to vigorous.        -   Propagation type.—Stem cuttings.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 40 days to            produce a rooted cutting at approximately 25 degrees            Celsius.        -   Time to produce a finished plant.—Approximately 18 weeks to            produce a marketable finished plant in a 17 cm pot.        -   Disease resistance.—Neither resistance nor susceptibility to            typical Ficus bussei pests and diseases has been observed.        -   Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 10            through 13 and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius;            moderate to high tolerance to rain; low to moderate            tolerance to wind.-   Root system:    -   -   General.—Moderately dense, moderately branched rooting;            roots are slightly fibrous.        -   Distribution in the soil profile.—Shallow to moderately            deep.        -   Diameter of roots.—0.75 mm on average.        -   Texture.—Smooth; no root hairs.        -   Color.—Greyed-yellow, nearest to RHS 161D.-   Stem:    -   -   General branching habit.—Basally branching main stems; no            lateral branching. Pinching isn't required but will improve            branching. Stems produce a milky exudate when damaged.        -   Quantity of stems.—3.        -   Length.—Approximately 52.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—Approximately 0.9 cm.        -   Internode length.—Approximately 7.5 cm.        -   Attitude.—Slightly upward to near vertical.        -   Aspect.—Rounded; slightly angular.        -   Texture.—Sparsely covered with lenticels; lenticels are            approximately 1.5 mm long and 0.75 mm wide and are colored            greyed-brown, nearest to RHS 199D. Stems are moderately to            densely covered with very short strigose hairs with an            average length of 0.2 mm. Hairs are colored greyed-brown,            nearest to RHS 199C.        -   Luster.—Slightly glossy.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Color, juvenile.—Nearest to in between green, RHS 143B, and            yellow-green, RHS 144A.        -   Color, mature.—Yellow-green, nearest to a combination of RHS            146B and 146C.        -   Color at internodes.—Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 148A.        -   Color of the oldest wood.—Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 148A,            and axially striped greyed-brown, nearest to RHS 199B.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Division.—Simple.        -   Quantity.—7 leaves per lateral branch.        -   Attitude.—At an average angle of 60 degrees to the stem.        -   Lamina.—Shape — Ovate. Aspect — Slightly carinate.            Dimensions — 33.2 cm long and 18.0 cm wide. Apex — Acute.            Base — Cordate to truncate. Margin — Entire, very slightly            angulate; moderately undulate. Texture of adaxial surface —            Ribbed to bullate, glabrous and glossy, with small orbicular            glands visible along the margins; glands are approximately            0.2 mm in diameter and are colored yellow-green, nearest to            RHS 150C. Texture of abaxial surface — Ribbed to bullate,            and moderately covered with a thin woolly pubescence which            is colored green-white, nearest to RHS 157D. Color —            Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface — Green, nearest to RHS            137A, and veined yellow-green, nearest to RHS N144A.            Juvenile foliage, abaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest to            RHS 147B, and veined lighter, nearest to RHS 146D. Mature            foliage, adaxial surface — Green, nearest to in between RHS            NN137A and 139A. Mature foliage, abaxial surface —            Greyed-green, nearest to RHS 191A. Venation — Pattern — Main            and secondary veins are pinnate; tertiary veins are            reticulate. Color, adaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest            to a mixture of RHS 145A and 145B. Color, abaxial surface —            Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 145C.        -   Stipule.—Not present.        -   Petiole.—Length — 8.2 cm. Diameter — 0.7 cm. Strength —            Strong. Texture — Moderately covered with a thin wooly            pubescence which is colored greyed-brown, nearest to RHS            199C. Luster — Slightly glossy. Color, adaxial surface —            Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 146C. Color, abaxial surface —            Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 144B.-   Inflorescence: No flowering has been observed to date.-   Comparison with the parent plant: Plants of the new cultivar    ‘ESFIBU1802’ differ from the parent, an unnamed Ficus bussei plant    (not patented), in the following characteristics described in Table    1 below.

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘ESFIBU1802’ The parent. Growth habit. Morecompact than the Less compact parent. compared to ‘ESFIBU1802’.Internode length. Shorter than the parent. Longer than ‘ESFIBU1802’.Foliage size. Smaller than the parent. Larger than ‘ESFIBU1802’. Generalcoloration Darker green. Lighter green. of the mature foliage.

-   Comparison with the closest known comparator: Plants of the new    cultivar ‘ESFIBU1802’ differs from the variety, Ficus sp.    ‘ESPE1803’, for which a United States plant patent application is    being filed concurrently with the instant application, in the    following characteristics described in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘ESFIBU1802’ ‘ESPE1803’ Foliage shape. Ovate.Cordate. General coloration of the Lighter green. Darker green. foliage.General coloration of the Green. White. foliage venation. Generalcoloration of the Green. Yellow-green. stems and branches.

That which is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Ficus plantnamed ‘ESFIBU1802’, substantially as described and illustrated herein.